Turner's turnaround evident in Sixers training camp

PHILADELPHIA -- The 76ers have completed a week of training camp and are two days away from their first preseason game under Doug Collins.

The game Tuesday night against the Nets in Roanoke, Va., will be a do-over for Evan Turner, if a rookie who hasn't played in an NBA game could somehow require a do-over at this fetal stage of his pro career.

The do-over stems from his Orlando Summer League performance. There wasn't much positive to be said about Turner's five games. He was the fifth-leading scorer with 9.4 points, just behind the legendary Ndudi Ebi (who?). He shot 33.3 percent from the field and committed more turnovers (23) than he had assists (14) and steals (eight) combined.

Perhaps the person most willing to bash Turner's showing in the summer was the man in the mirror.

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"Orlando was the worst of the worst," Turner said. "It was the bottom pit of my life."

Yikes. That's because the guy had been the best player on the court in practically every basketball game he ever played before the Nightmare in Disney World. That's how you get scholarships to Ohio State, start as a true freshman and become the second overall pick in the NBA Draft.

But Turner took his schooling in Orlando to heart. He wasn't happy about the fact that a workout-free couple of months between the end of his junior season with the Buckeyes and draft day left him out of shape. So he arrived in camp 10 pounds lighter and ready for action. And Collins saw in Turner a guy so obsessed with every possession at both ends that he had to talk the kid down from the peak of frustration a few times.

"I have to make sure the level of frustration doesn't seep into what he's doing," Collins said of Turner earlier in the week. "I want to take pressure off him. You look at our first two games (against the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks), and we're looking at Dwayne Wade and Joe Johnson (at shooting guard). If a guy scores a basketball, he'll look at you like, 'What did I do wrong?' And I go, 'Nothing. These guys are good.' Dwayne Wade could get 50 (points)."

Those, however, are the first two regular-season games, and those are 31/2 weeks in the future. Tuesday Turner will get a chance to rehearse against the worst team in the league a year ago. And a week of camp has given him a better perspective of how fine the line is between championship caliber and draft lottery at this level.

"The speed of the game ... people are so strong," Turner said, describing what he has taken from the evening scrimmages this week. "Sometimes it puts more wear and tear on you than in college.

"I think I've been doing pretty well in regards of coming off screens and doing what the coach has asked. I've been making shots and playing decent defense. I think I'm doing all right."

One of the bigger assets Turner has on the court is Jrue Holiday. In the second-year point guard Turner has a peer who can help him understand the order of priorities as he transitions to being a pro (Turner, in fact, is 20 months older than Holiday). Holiday accelerated his maturation by making a commitment to excelling at the defensive end, and Turner has shown a willingness to do the same.

"Coach Collins understands as far as offense that sometimes people aren't going to pick it up (right away), but defense that's our core, our key," Turner said. "You have to play hard there or he's going to get upset a little bit.

"(Offensively), it's more communication here, making reads. I don't want to step on any toes."

Actually, Turner won't have many toes to step on in the preseason. Because Andre Iguodala had a hoops-filled summer with the United States national team, he will make little more than cameos in the first five or six exhibition games. And the Sixers won't want to overwork Holiday, who is going to have his minutes significantly increased compared to last season.

"He's going to see what it's like to be a pro," assistant coach Brian James said of Turner. "He's had a great camp. He's really flourished. Now when the actual games against opponents come into play, I think we'll see him take another jump.

"Our goal for Evan is baptism-under-fire. I anticipate he gets a lot of quality minutes ... that gives Evan a chance to flourish if we give him the right kind of opportunities."

"The preseason is just as important as games," Turner said. "It's all about preparation.

"I have to learn. Better to get minutes now as opposed to sitting on the bench. I'm getting my foibles out of the way now; (in Saturday night's scrimmage) I didn't shoot so well.

"That's another problem to get out of the way. I need to pay my dues and earn the right to play."

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NOTES: The intrasquad scrimmage at Hagan Arena ended with the Blue team defeating the White, 55-42. Among the players who looked sharp was guard Lou Williams. Collins doesn't think Williams will see many minutes at point guard. Instead he'll let Turner serve in that role when Holiday gets a break and Williams often will see minutes on the court with the rookie. ... The Sixers haven't taken 15 players into the regular season the past few seasons, but that should change this year. Point guard Chris Quinn has the inside track for that final roster spot as insurance for Holiday, who is the only true point man with a guaranteed contract.